Hawick and Hermitage Ward

Priorities for Hawick and Hermitage - LibDems will deliver

Ron Smith, the newly elected LibDem Councillor

believes

● that the local community should take the lead in driving progress

● in the abilities of local people and groups to deliver that progress for the benefit of the wider community

● that local services should be locally managed wherever possible

is committed

● to working co-operatively as part of a team promoting the interests of Hawick & Hermitage

● to developing public transport, and maintaining and improving the road network - in the towns and villages, and in the rural area

● to developing the access corridor along the A7 and to pushing for the expansion of the railway to Hawick and beyond

● to improving the business environment in the area, so that employers will have the faith to come here, or to expand

● to promoting the heritage and history of this area, its facilities and festivals, as we believe them to be central to the further growth of tourism

supports

● all initiatives which help the rural community, sustaining life in the countryside and maintaining the attraction of the Borders landscape

● measures to help the retail sector, especially those which allow main streets to remain the centre of community life

● moves to bring more, and more varied, employment to the Hawick & Hermitage area. He believes that it is within the remit of Councillors to speak for and to promote their area

● the wide, wide range of voluntary groups which work at making life easier and better for others

● local festivals, agricultural shows and cultural productions which do so much to enrich the life of locals, as well as the visitor experience

Ron Smith

Skilled in Administration

Ron came to Hawick and the Borders 35 years ago, to teach at Hawick High School, as head of Geography and then as assistant headteacher.

Hobbies include gardening and golf (being better at the first than the second), collecting Irish stamps (well, Eileen is Irish), historical research including family trees, and watching the Greens (in fact green seems to be the dominant colour in all of this!!).

For many years he filled various roles at Hawick Rugby Club and produced two books on the club's history - "The Green Machine" (with Dr Ken Bogle) and "Glimpses of Green". He is an elder and treasurer of Teviot & Roberton Church. Since his early retirement from the school, Ron has involved himself in community affairs, through Hawick Business Partnership, the Welcome Hosts Initiative, the Christmas Lights Group, and Hawick Online website, as well as being an active member of Hawick Rotary Club. He is a Mosstrooper, and a member of the Hawick's 1514 Club and Anvil Crew.

E-mail Address: ron.smith@borderslibdems.org.uk

Councillor blog: www.ronsmith.mycouncillor.org.uk